Home is where the sustainable heart is

Edition #7

Home is where the sustainable heart is

Welcome to the Resilient East e-newsletter.

There is strength in numbers. By collaborating, our region can deliver a coordinated response to climate change, and, by sharing information, resources, responsibilities and actions we can achieve a Resilient East.

We are now experiencing Parnati (the Kaurna word for Autumn). Common indicators are cold mornings with Kudmu (fog/dew), highest rainfall causing kuntu and yartala (flooding) and waadlawarnka (fallen trees). This is the season where Kaurna people caught possums, kangaroos, wallabies and bandicoots to eat, chewed wild tobacco leaves/flowers, ate small stone fruits and used wattle gum to make shelters and canoes.

We hope this e-news encourages you to think about what you can do to make your home more sustainable, climate ready and affordable to live in. Plus, we hope you consider applying for a grant to green your neighbourhood!

Graphic calendar displaying Kaurna seasons (credit: Bureau of Meteorology)

Resilient East, with AdaptWest, Resilient South, and Resilient Hills and Coasts are bringing South Australians a series of FREE webinars covering a range of sustainability and climate ready homes topics.

The webinars will be presented by energy experts from Renew, who have provided independent information on household sustainability for over 40 years.

In the first few months we are pleased to bring you:

Winter Comfort (for rental properties) - Tuesday, 16 May
Winter Comfort (for home owners) - Tuesday, 23 May
Electric Vehicles - Thursday, 15 June
Buying Green Power - Tuesday, 4 July
All-Electric Homes - Tuesday, 25 July

Click the button below to find out more and to book!

BOOK NOW

My Cool Home Tool

living room with a ceiling fan

The My Cool Home toolkit can be used to assess the energy efficiency and comfort of your home, whether it be an existing home, or one that you plan to build.

Created by our friends at AdaptWest, it’s an excellent tool to predict potential bill savings when certain measures are implemented, and can help you adapt your home to suit Adelaide’s changing climate. Check out the:

3D interactive house walk through, with tips about design and retrofitting; and
the My Cool Home Assessment tool.

To use the tools and for more cool tips, visit adaptwest.com.au

10 Free things to do in your home, Resilient East (factsheet)

A quick and easy guide of 10 free things you can do to saving money and energy.

9 Things on a budget you can do in your home, Resilient East (factsheet)

A quick and easy guide of 9 friendly things you can do to saving money and energy.

Existing Homes: Creating an energy efficient home, Resilient East (factsheet)

Building or buying a new home? Here’s key things to think about before you start the process! There’s also a checklist to help you customise what’s best for you.

New Homes: Efficiency by design, Resilient East (factsheet)

This snapshot contains key things you can do to create a comfortable, energy efficient home. It comes with a checklist to help you customise what is best for you.

Press play on sustainable homes

The Sustainable Homes Expo was a one-stop-shop for anyone interested in making their homes a safe, comfortable, and energy efficient haven. Whether you're planning a new home or living in one already, the Expo provided solutions and expert advice for everyone!

Watch the expert presentations here to learn more.

Grassroots Grants program Apply now!

Green Adelaide’s Grassroots Grants program, supports individuals, volunteers, community groups and other bodies working on local projects that contribute to improved management of the environment.

Up to $1 million is available for people to green, cool and wild their neighbourhoods across Adelaide’s 17 metro councils. Individuals, communities, schools and volunteers can apply for grants between $2,000 and $150,000.

Since commencement of the program in 2020, Green Adelaide has invested in 124 projects valued around $3 million, supporting projects that provide practical and on-ground benefits to our coast, river and wetlands, streets and parklands and flora, fauna and ecosystems. Some of the completed projects can be found on Green Adelaide’s website.

For more information, to download application guidelines and to apply, visit Green Adelaide or email DEW.GreenAdelaideGGP@sa.gov.au

Applications close at 5pm Wednesday, 3 May 2023.

Looking after our waterways

Adelaide’s waterways are the creeks, rivers and wetlands throughout the metro area. These waterways (and surrounding landscape) are home to 244 species of birds, 27 mammals, 47 reptiles, 13 freshwater fish and 7 species of frogs.

Do you live near or on a waterway? The actions that you take in and around your property can have a big impact on the health of your local waterway.

Find out how you can help with Green Adelaide’s Looking After Waterways property owner’s guide.

You can also tune into this online webinar, ‘Looking after Waterways’ 4pm on Thursday, 6 April. If you can’t make it, you can still register to be sent information and the recorded session.

For more Green Adelaide webinars, click here.

For more water smart ideas, visit our Water Smart Home page.

Join the Cool Refuge Working Group!

Expressions of interest (EOI) to join a Cool Refuge Working Group are open until 5pm on Wednesday, 12 April 2023.

More Australians die from extreme heat than from any other type of natural disaster. Extreme heat affects everyone, but some members of the community are more at risk due to their health, age or socio-economic status.

On hot days and during heatwaves, demand for community services can change as people seek cool places to spend time and get respite. Increased visitation to air-conditioned public spaces can be experienced. At the same time, some services may be limited or reduced, like community bus services.

Campbelltown City Council received funding from the SA Fire and Emergency Services Commission (SAFECOM) to work to understand if there’s demand for cool places on hot days, and, if there is, how these facilities might be improved. To support this work, Council will engage with the community and establish a Community Working Group to work closely with Council.

The first step is to establish a Community Working Group. Council now invites the community to express their interest in joining.

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

The cities of Unley and Burnside have received Tree Cities of the World recognition once again!

Joining 168 cities from 21 countries leading the way to ensure that urban forests are maintained, sustainably managed, and celebrated through The Arbor Day Foundation and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Tree Cities of the World programme.

Upcoming Events

Sustainable House Day (extension sessions) - until Thursday, 13 April 2023
Check out events and homes on YouTube and upcoming extension sessions on topics like, making the most of insulation and energy efficiency, a how-to-guide for going all electric, and choosing the right solar for your home!

Regenerating Australia - Thursday, 27 April 2023
Join the City of Unley’s Living Young Reference Group, alongside the Environment and Sustainability team, for a special screening of Regenerating Australia – the latest film from Damon Gameau, the award-winning director of 2040 and That Sugar Film.

Green Adelaide Seminar Series - various dates
A range of online seminars to help you learn new nature skills, meet like-minded people and have fun! Head to the Facebook page or website to see what's coming up, or watch past sessions.

Making a Difference

Parliamentary Inquiry into Urban Forests
See our most recent submission as part of the Environment, Resources and Development Parliamentary Committee’s Inquiry into Urban Forests, here (click Environment, Resources and Development Committee >> Inquiry into the Urban Forest >> Submissions >> Resilient East).

Note: This submission does not reflect formal Council endorsement by any of the constituent Councils. This input complements feedback from contributing Councils and provides a perspective from the local government members of the Resilient East Steering Group. Several councils also put in submissions and we have lots of consistent messaging.

Have Your Say

Visit your council’s ‘Your Say’ or community engagement webpage to see current consultations. There’s often opportunities to provide feedback on streetscape upgrades or the development of policies or strategies. Your comments can contribute to outcomes such as reducing carbon emissions, planting more trees or water smart solutions.

Resilient Water Futures - SA Water
This project is planning now for a secure and sustainable water supply for Greater Adelaide for the next 50 years. Click here to share your thoughts, ideas and preferences to guide this water management strategy for generations to come. Closes Friday, 14 April 2023.

Gardening & Greening

April is the perfect time to grow your garden!

Get a tree voucher today! Property owners in the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters can get an $80 tree voucher to plant an established tree on their land. Residents of Tea Tree Gully can purchase a voucher for 15 native plants for just $15! Other councils will soon offer similar incentives, so keep an eye out on their social media pages, e-news or website.
2 things you should know about food gardening in autumn.

Got a Climate Ready Idea?

We’d love to hear your ideas or examples of preparing your home, family, workplace or life for climate change.

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